Non-reverting water-wheel.



No. 699,844. Pat ented May l3, I902.

J. T. M-OATE.

NON-REVERTING WATER WHEEL. (Application filed. Jan. 19, 1901.} (No Model.) 2 Sheets-sheaf L Tu: Noam: virus so" PHOTO-U010. WASHINGYON, v.12

No. 699,844. Patented May l3, I902.

J. T. MUATE.

NON-REVERTING WATER WHEEL.

(Application filed Jan. 19, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sh9ets-Shet 2.

Tn: Ncnms PEYERS co., FHOTOLIYHO" wnsumm'om n. c.

U rrnn STATES- PATENT @FFICE.

JOHN THOMAS MOATE, OF ADELAIDE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA.

NON-REVERTING WATER-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,844, dated May 13, 1902.

Application filed January 19, 1901. Serial No. 43,854t. (N0 model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, JOHNTHOMAS MOATE, a subjectof the King of Great Britain, and a resident of King WVilliam street, Adelaide, South Australia,Australia,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Non- Reverting ater-'Whcelspf which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved noureverting water-wheel.

Hitherto a very great variety of waterwheels have been constructed for operating in tidal rivers, and in many such appliances it has been found necessary to arrange complicated reversing-gear in order to obviate the inconveniences which are caused by the change of tide and the consequent reverse in the di-' rection of the How of water.

The special object of my invention is to construct a water-wheel..in such a manner that the vanes which are connected therewith shall always feather themselves while traveling against the flow of the current, but shall automatically present a large breast area to the stream for motive purposes and shall revolve continuously in the same direction whether the tide is flowing in or flowing out.

I order that my invention may be the better understood, 1 will now proceed to describe the same by aid of the accompanying illustrations, wherein- Figure 1 is an outline elevation of the water-wheel as fitted in a tideway or stream. Fig. 2 is a diagram plan of same on smaller scale, showing the direction of the revolution of the wheel and also the flow of the tide. Fig. 3 is a repetition of the same plan, showing the wheel revolving in the same direction, but the flow of the tide reversed. Fig. 4 is a similar plan showing the position of the arms and vanes at an eighth (g) of a revolution in advance of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of corrugated vane. Fig. 6 is a modification of my invention.

Throughout the drawings similar letters of reference are used to denote'similar or corresponding parts wherever they occur.

vertical spindle A and is provided with such bearings as are necessary in order to enable it to revolve freely upon the spindle.

E E are bosses or hubs rigidly fastened to the sleeve 0 and may be cast or wrought in such a manner as to afford rigidity to the horizontal arms F F, which are attached thereto.

F F are vertical frame-rods which connect the upper and lower horizontal arms together and in combination therewith form a rectangular frame.

G G2 G3 G are vanes or breast areas constructed of any suitable material, but preferably of iron or steel, which maybe rolled into curved orsemicylindrical strips and attached in parallel rows to cross-bars, as will be understood on reference to Fig. 5, a small space being left between adjacent strips. These vanes are hinged to the outer arms F by hingeplates 9 g g g or other similar device, so that they may swing freely thereon.

II II are chains or ropes,preferably attached to the inner vertical frame-rods F and communicating with the outer extremity of the vanes G to G", the length of free chain being just sufficient to allow the vanes to swing out at right angles to the horizontal arms F F.

J J are beveled wheels connected with the upper hub and are capable of communicating motion through the shafting K to the beltwheel L.

In Figs. 2, 3, and 4 the direction of the rotation of the wheel is indicated by the curved arrows, while the flow of the stream is indicated by the straight arrows.

Assuming the wheel to be placed in a tideway and referring first to Fig. 2, the method of obtaining power from the water is as follows: The flowing stream meets the Vane G and, closing the same upon the framework formed by the horizontal arms and vertical frame-rods,exerts its full force upon the structure, thus rotating it in the desired direction. Meanwhile the flow of the water carries the vane G to a position at right angles to the adj acent frameworlgwhere its radial movement upon the vertical frame-rod is restrained by the chain H, so that it lies at right angles to the arm and is likewise acted upon by the flowing Water. The vane G is also retained at right angles to its frame, thereby afiording a free passage or opening for the flowing wa- 'ter to pass through, as will be better understood on reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings, thus presenting little or no resistance to the stream, although the direction of its rotation is opposite to that of the tide. The vane Gr lies closely against its adjacent framework and in this position does not materially retard the rotation of the wheel.

In Fig. 4 the wheel is illustrated as having advanced one-eighth of a revolution, and in such a position it will be seen that the vanes G G, and G are each receiving motion from the current, the first-mentioned vanes being closed against the framework, while the latter is controlled by the chain H. Meanwhile the vane G is automatically feathered inthe stream, so that the slack of its chain H hangs loosely in the water.

On reference to Fig. 3 it will be seen from the straight arrows that the flow of water is reversed, thus indicating that the tide has turned. It will, however, be noticed that the rotation of the wheel has not reverted, but that it continues to revolve in the same direction as hitherto described. In this instance the wheel gathers force from the pressure of water against the vanes G3 and G while the vanes G and G being feathered or end-on to the flow, do not materially retard the movement of the wheel.

The transmission of power from the wheel to other machinery may be achieved by a variety of meansas, for instance, by the aid of beveled gearing, shafting, and belt-wheels, (shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings,) or, alternatively, rope-pulleys or belt-wheels may be fastened direct upon the boss or hub of the structure, or the vertical spindle A may be caused to revolve in unison with the other parts. I

A modification of my appliance for use in places when the rise and fall of the tide is excessive is shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, the whole being constructed so as to form a number of superimposed sections X Y, capable of working in unison with each other; but the upper sections are arranged to take their bearings upon brackets and balls K beneath a plain ring K, and the sections are fitted with a suitable float-operated pawl L and ratchet M, so that a high tide acts upon each of the superimposed sections; but as it recedes the upper sections automatically free themselves, thus obviating unnecessary wear of the nonactive parts and at the same time reducing the load of the operative sections which remain in the tideway. In this arrangement the bottom section is fastened to the main spindle and the superimposed sections transmit their power to the said spindle through the bottom section, but when disconnected they simply act as free wheels and remain at rest.

As the details of mechanism and the fitting together of the various parts may be modified in a variety of ways, I have described my invention in the foregoing specification in its primitive or outline form, and it is therefore to be distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the number of arms or details of construction shown in the accompanying illustrations, but may vary the same in accordance with the size and local requirements of the wheel without departing from the nature of my invention.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is- 1. An improved non-reverting Water-wheel comprising a shaft, arms radiating therefrom, vanes hinged to said arms and chains connected with the vanes for limiting the movement thereof, said vanes comprising semicylindrical strips of metal arranged parallel with spaces between them and bars carrying the said strips, substantially as described.

2. In combination in a water-wheel, a vertical shaft, a bottom section having vanes and attached rigidly to the said shaft, a section superimposed above the rigid section and having vanes and float-operated means for connecting said superimposed section with and disconnecting the same from the said shaft, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN THOMAS MOATE.

Witnesses:

JOHN HERBERT CooKE, CHARLES A COURT BLOXAM. 

